MYCOLOGY
Utah Valley University - BIOL1620
Since we are back in a face-to-face setting, we will be running this course as a research experience. This web page is still a very good resource for learning about fungi, but consider it “enrichment material” rather than a map of the course. It was built with a remote learning model in mind for when we were unable to do lab work in-person.
This webpage will host links to all resources and videos, and serves as a roadmap for the semester, listing readings, assignments, etc.
Course overview:
The course consists of several components:
- Required readings
- Textbook: Webster and Weber, Introduction to Fungi - 3rd ed. (specific sections)
- Scientific papers: Usually weekly, linked below
- Weekly quizzes on reading material (on Canvas)
- Assorted “home mycology” lab, research, and field exercises (on Canvas)
- Exams (3 of these, on Canvas, open-note)
The course is broken into 4 rough sections:
1. Getting to know fungal biology and major groups (get ready for a bunch of mycological terminology)
2. Fungi as the enemy (human and plant pathogens, fungal distribution, secondary compounds)
3. Fungi as a friend (mutualistic symbioses)
4. Molecular mycology (intro to modern methods and fungal bioinformatics)
Course assumptions (about you):
- You know how to read a phylogeny and argue whether a trait is ancestral or derived
- You know how to find and read a scientific journal article
- You can write intelligibly
- You understand the following terms and concepts:
- monophyletic, taxon, clade, outgroup
- central dogma of biology
- chromosome, locus, gene, variant, phenotype
- niche, dispersal, genetic drift, diploid/haploid
- respiration, oxidation/reduction
- In other words, you’ve had (and paid attention to) the material from BIOL1610 and BIOL1620
Weekly content:
Week 1
Topics:
- What are fungi? | Chytrids and divergence from metazoa | Fungal phylogeny
Readings and Assignments
- Study the lesson slides (link below)
- Read James, et al., 2006
- Read Webster & Weber: 1.1 | 1.5 | 6.1
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Watch this video on how fungi changed the world. Watch it before next week.
- Find and grow zygomycete fungi (Canvas assignment; video walkthrough below)
- Buy this cool pocket microscope Amazon link (this is in lieu of your textbook fee)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
Resources
Videos
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Week 2
Topics
- The “hyphal lifestyle” | Fungal physiology | Zygomycetes | Reproduction in fungi
Readings and Assignments
- No class Monday (Washington and Lincoln Day) … We will have class Friday instead!
- Read Fisher, et al., 2018 (Have a phylogeny of Zygomycetes at the ready while you read this)
- Read Webster & Weber: 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.3.1 | 7.3.2
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Friday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Friday 1pm)
- Turn in your Zygomycete microscopy photos (Canvas)
Resources
Videos
- Generic Zygomycete life cycle video
- Another life cycle video
- Zygospore formation video
- Hyphal types video (though she mispronounces “coenocytic” … it’s like “see - no - sit - ic”)
- Mucor as a human pathogen video
- Mucor as a model of Zygomycete anatomy video (ridiculous music warning)
- Cool time-lapse video of growing hyphae
- Hyphal morphology video
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Week 3
Topics
- Ascomycetes | Species concept in fungi | Anamorphs and Teleomorphs | Dikaryotism
Readings and Assignments
- Read Webster & Weber: 8 | 10.2 | 12.1 | 12.2.1 | 17.2.6
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
- How many Ascomycete species exist? (Canvas assignment)
Resources
Videos
- Good overview of Ascomycete characteristcs
- Sordaria crossing over
- How fungi helped us solve the central dogma of biology:
- Part 1 (Why Neruospora crassa was the perfect model organism)
- Part 2 (The famous Beadle and Tatum experiment)
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Week 4
Topics
Readings and Assignments
- Read Webster & Weber: 18 | 19.1 | 19.4.5 | 20.1 | 20.3 | 21.1 | 21.5
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
Resources
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Week 5
Topics
- Fungal development | Mushroom mechanics | Active dispersal | Mushroom ID
Readings and Assignments
- Read Kiss, et al., 2019
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
- Exam 1 (Covers material from weeks 1-4 … Due Friday 11:59pm)
- Fungal collections (5 types of macrofungi) and IDs (Turned in on Canvas next week)
- Photo of fungus in its habitat
- Photo of spore print and/or micrograph of spores
- Description of each fungus according to the mushroom characters cheat sheet (below)
- Tentative genus identification if you are feeling bold
- LINK to an example for one collection.
Resources
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Week 6
Topics
Readings and Assignments
- No class Monday (Washington and Lincoln Day) … We will have class Friday instead!
- Read Huffnagle & Noverr, 2013
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Friday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Friday 1pm)
Resources
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Week 7
Topics
Readings and Assignments
- Read Roy, 1993
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
- Keep working on lab assignments!
Resources
Videos
- Life cycle of wheat stem rust video
- Plant-Pathogen interactions video
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Week 8
Topics
- Distribution and dispersal | Population ecology
Readings and Assignments
- Read Bacigalupe, et al., 2017
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
Resources
Videos
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Week 14
Topics
Readings and Assignments
- Read Dugan, 2008
- Exam 3 (Covers material from weeks 9-12 and Dugan, 2008)
Resources
Week 15
Topics
- Molecular mycology | Intro to fungal bioinformatics
Readings and Assignments
- Read Raja, et al., 2017
- Canvas quiz on readings (due before class Wednesday)
- Teams discussion on readings (Wednesday 1pm)
Resources
Videos
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Final Exam
For the Final Exam schedule, click here